I am having some repointing done. Is there an idustry standard for the minimum depth of raking pre repointing or is this something I have to discuss/specify with each of the builders quoting, if so what should it be?
This doesn't come under building regulations yet as far as I know ;-)
The answer is probably much less than you think, like around 1/4 to
1/2" absolute max below the finished mortar level. Repointing is not rebuilding the wall without taking the bricks out, it is just replacing the weathered edge of the mortar.I would expect your builders to know this. If your house has lime mortar walls, make sure your builders know how to handle that. (Repointing a lime mortar wall with cement mortar can do a lot of damage.)
I would say it depends on the state of the wall. If what mortar remains is solid, you only need remove what isnt. If its in worse shape, and the mortar has disintegrated all the way through, the more sound mortar you get in there the better. Youre then really limited by how much you can rake out without destabilising the wall.
I've done wall that only needed half an inch, and some that needed stripping out right through. And some where it had already fallen out right the way through.
If your wall is built with old soft bricks there are some things to beware of: a wrongly done job can do huge damage to such walls.
Regards, NT
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